'I ran for my life': Man tells court of his escape from knifeman accused of murdering ex-serviceman
A man has described how he 'ran for his life' from a martial arts expert who is alleged to have murdered his housemate.
Carl Martin had spent the day drinking and taking cocaine with a group which included Troy Ktori, who is currently standing trial accused of murdering ex-serviceman Charles McInally in Birmingham.
It is alleged Ktori, originally from Heath Town, Wolverhampton, flew into a rage when told his girlfriend had been propositioned by Mr McInally and Mr Martin.
He is accused of slashing Mr Martin on the hand at the latter's Edgbaston home in August last year, before stabbing Mr McInally through the throat.
At Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, Mr Martin said Ktori came with a knife to his front door and attacked him, before he escaped out the back of the property in fear for his life.
But Gary Bell, defending, said his client was unarmed and the two housemates were waiting for him armed with their own knives.
He said: "I suggest you knew who it was at the door, they had said who it was and you were expecting him.
"You and Charlie were ready for him armed with knives.
"I suggest that you attacked Mr Ktori with a knife, your own knife, and that he used the skills he had acquired from his martial arts background to disarm you and it was during being disarmed that you received your injuries."
Mr Martin refuted that version of events and said he grabbed the blade of the knife being held by Ktori, a former world champion Thai Boxer.
"I let go of the blade," he said. "I turned around and I ran straight out the back of the property. I ran for my life."
Addressing Mr Bell's argument the knife was his and that is why he could describe it in detail, Mr Martin, said: "To this day I still have flashbacks to that night. I see the knife to this day in front of my face and I can picture it in my mind."
Earlier Mr Martin had told the jury how he and Mr McInally had drank half a bottle of vodka between them before going to the Seven Stars pub in Birmingham with Ktori, Ktori's girlfriend Crystal Jeffries and their friend Matthew Roper.
Mr Martin said all five went to Mr McInally's Brewers Square home in Edgbaston to continue drinking and to take cocaine.
Mr Bell claimed Mr Martin was abusive to Ms Jeffries, sparking Ktori, aged 27, to confront him. That was denied by Mr Martin.
The court also heard of Mr Martin's past convictions which include a racially aggravated assault in 2002 in which he shouted abuse at a woman, threatened to stab her and attempted to punch her.
Five more convictions followed in 2010 including common assault and battery.
Mr Martin, 31, told the jury he had since turned his life around.
He said: "I used to live a hectic life. I was a petty criminal.
"But I got baptised and became a born-again Christian around six years ago."
Ktori, of Shenstone Road, Edgbaston, denies murder and charges of ABH and attempted wounding with intent against Mr Martin.
The trial continues.
